Taib declares won’t be ‘trapped’ into revealing quit date
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider
KUCHING, April 12 — Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud appears to be unperturbed by the resounding demands for his resignation as Sarawak’s chief minister, confidently declaring this morning that he would not be “trapped” into revealing his quit date.
Taib’s Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to keep the state in the April 16 election but coalition insiders say they could lose up to 16 seats to an opposition force that have based their campaign on the chief minister’s riches and quick resignation.
“The opposition knows it cannot trap me.
“We are not that naïve as to say succession and then we fix a date,” he told reporters who accosted him at the Pullman Hotel here this morning.
Instead, Taib echoed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s words recently that such a plan should not be done hastily but in an organised fashion.
“No, you’ve got to do things in a proper way,” he said.
The pint-sized leader insisted that he would not succumb to pressure from the opposition on the topic, pointing out that their own parties were in disarray.
“I will not be hemmed in by criticism from people who cannot even run their party well,” he said, before departing.
The question of Taib’s date of resignation has been the central issue in the ongoing campaign for the Sarawak state polls.
Due to reports of mounting public hatred against the powerful Chief Minister, even Barisan Nasional leaders have had to attempt to convince constituents that Taib’s resignation was imminent.
Najib cancelled his functions and Cabinet meeting to take over BN’s campaign in Sarawak and on his first night here, moved to reassure voters that Taib’s 30-year rule would soon end.
“Ladies and gentlemen, do not worry. We have made plans so that a change will happen in the Sarawak top leadership, a planned and organised change.
“If we make a shock change, a state of uncertainty will ensue,” Najib had said during a 1 Malaysia meet-the-leaders session here on Sunday.
The prime minister’s claim was however rubbished by the opposition and top leaders like DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim challenged Taib to leave immediately.
